On the Hunt
by freakyreads
Summary: Manon and her Thirteen, with Dorian tagging along, try to find the Crochan witches. Spoilers if you haven't read EOS yet.**
1. Chapter 1

**DORIAN**

It has been one day since I have left with the witches. We are camped out for the night. I am sitting down with my back against a tree, looking at the stars. I cannot think about anything but Manon's Second judging me. Everything I do. As if judging if I am worthy of something. Doesn't she have better things to do than look at me, like maybe guarding the parimeters? As if she could smell my irritation, I could feel, rather than see, that smirk grow. That's it.

My eyes go to her black eyes with gold flakes.

"I know I am quite the sight to see, but don't you have better things to do?" All those witch's eyes snapped towards me, except Manon's. She looked rather bored. But I think she was still thinking about what happened to Aelin. Probably going over different scenarios in her head. She picked the best one. But I don't say it.

Asterin let out a low laugh, and pushes off the tree trunk and mocks a bow. "My apologies, _Majesty_ , but I am doing my job."

Manon tensed, took a side glance at both of us, and said simply to Asterin, "I wouldn't push him."

Asterin whipped her head to her leader, "I was with you when you saved his life the first time, and I paid the price when you saved him a second time. I take that as a right to get to know him."

The rest of the Thirteen seemed confused. They didn't know about how she saved me the first time, then.

Manon formed a thin line at the disrespect, but shrugged and simply said, "Just remember I warned you."

I gave a soft smile and said, "Get to know me? Well, you could have said that a while ago. I am sure there is a nice quiet spot out in the woods." I rake my eyes slowly down her body and then back up.

She caught my brief hesitation at her stomach, she misses nothing it seems as she spun around to face Manon and seethed, "You told him!"

I glanced around and half the Thirteen were now even more confused. They aren't like normal ladies who gossip and share secrets. Weird.

Before Manon could say anything, I respond, "She did not. An ilken came to Manon and said you were dead, this was the proof" I pick the piece of black leather I forgot I had out of my pocket and saw Asterin's eyes go right to it, wanting it, so I gently float it over to her hands and drop it. I continue, "He…It said that Erawan had tortured you, and to make it more believable said a particular thing about you it seems not even some of your coven knows."

Asterin stayed quiet as she stared at it for a bit, then put it on her. Then she prowled over, and gracefully sat across from me. "Tell me what really happened that day when the witches sacked your city, and about how Manon came into Aelin Galathynius' group."

I look around and see the witches inch closer, and I look at Manon, and she nodded.

"When the witches came, they were wearing yellow, not like the black your coven wears. I killed a few with my magic, but as I was unexperienced, and used so much magic at one time, I was drained very quickly. A witch crashed through my castle behind me, and she was in between me and my only way of escaping. The wyvern hit me with its poisonous tail, and I was paralyzed for the moment. One second, the witch was getting off her wyvern, the next her head was rolling off her body, and a second wyvern killed the wyvern that had just poisoned me. Then, Manon was telling me to get up and flee. So I did. Prince Rowan was there to kill four more of the yellow-colored witches as I was escaping the castle, and almost killed Manon if I didn't tell him to stop. I asked Manon to join us, which she did not. So, I left with Rowan."

None of the Thirteen looked surprised at this so I assumed they already guessed what happened that day.

"A few weeks later, we spot a lone wyvern coming straight for us. We do not know how he found us, but he did. We saw a witch that laid unconscious in the saddle, and as the wyvern was getting close to our ship, Manon fell into the water," A few of her Thirteen tensed and I shrugged as I said, "so, I dove in after her and got her…"

A hiss. Manon just hissed at me. I looked at her and my eyes narrowed, "Would you have rather me leave you in the ocean?"

Manon replied with a lethal calm, "No, but you left that little snip bit out when you told me what happened."

Oh, yeah. I did do that. Asterin looked like she was thoroughly enjoying the scene in front of her. But, I'm getting the feeling she finds some sort of private joke at everything. I roll my eyes. And another hiss from Manon. Now Asterin looks like she is really holding in a laugh, along with some of her Thirteen.

I continue with my story. "Aelin and Rowan used their magic to heal her for a week. She finally woke up, in chains." I smirked.

Manon's coven looked like they were going to murder me now. Some itched to their weapons. That part I should have probably left out.

Asterin grin was gone now as she asked, "how skilled are you with that sword of yours?"

 **MANON**

Looking at Dorian's face told her all she needed to know. Asterin could kick his ass without him using his magic. It was his stupid fault for mentioning the chains. Plus, she kind of wanted to see him get knocked in the head for not telling him about him saving her. Manon hated owing people. And maybe she also wanted to see him lose just for raking his eyes all over Asterin, and about that comment of them going out in the woods. She shouldn't care really, but the thought bothered her more than she would ever admit.

Dorian laughed, "I'm afraid I missed most of my lessons."

Manon looked at her iron nails, she would need to sharpen them. She looked up at Dorian and asked out of bored curiosity, "and why is that?"

Dorian signed and replied, "You know, I am such a gentleman, always tending to ladies' needs. It took up much of my time."

Asterin, being so close to him, sniffed, then realizing it wasn't a lie, tilted her head back and laughed. "Well, hopefully you learn something today."

Asterin looked at me and flicked her eyebrows up in a silent question _Should I go easy on him?_ I shook my head no, he can easily heal himself anyways.

They both got up and drew their swords. Well, at least his defensive stance was correct. He still looked like Asterin's prey as she circled him. Manon side-glanced and saw that her Thirteen were taking bets on how long Dorian would last. With her better than average hearing, she could also hear them, none were longer than three minutes.

Asterin attacked. Dorian easily parried, but Asterin used her momentum to kick the back of his leg. Dorian tumbled but got right back up in a defensive stance, and grinned. Asterin just did that to piss him off, but it didn't work.

Asterin attacked again. This time their swords were clashing for a while, but Dorian never attacked, just defended himself.

Then, at once, all the Thirteen heard the noise and got up. In the next second, we were in ranks and I barked the command to the wyverns. The Crochans wouldn't be this far south. And I'm not in the mood to fight anyone unless necessary. We sprinted like hell to the wyverns.

We were all flying soon enough in the clouds for cover, but northwest towards the border of the once Witch Kingdom. No witch, Ironteeth or not, liked being too far away from their home.

Dorian breathed on my neck, "What happened?"

I replied, "Nothing happened. We just heard footsteps and I was not in the mood to investigate."

Dorian, "So we just ran like hell, and it could have been just a few travelers?"

I hissed, I couldn't help it. He just questioned my decision and basically said I was a fool. "No, they were not human footsteps. They were… off. Best guess is they were ilken which means they can fly too. So please be useful and guard our backs with whatever magic of yours."


	2. Chapter 2

**MANON**

Manon and her coven landed near Calaculla in Eyllwe. Right before the start of the Oakwald Forest. Dorian, as soon as they landed, left.

The Thirteen unpacked.

Manon then spent some time going over fighting aerial techniques they could use if they face those ilken. Better be prepared if they face anything like Ellywe.

Next the coven did combat where Manon was surprised to beat everyone with ease. Watching Rowan and Aelin had its perks. She showed her coven and they quickly picked up the new moves. The demon twins said they were going to practice on a useless human somewhere.

Manon told Sorrel, because she still did not feel like talking to Asterin about it, that she was going to check on Dorian and will be back soon. Sorrel just nodded.

He was not that hard to track with her keen sense of smell. He was sitting right in front of the slave camp. Well, now it is just empty since Dorian's father killed all the slaves in the camp. Manon could see how furious he was, and feel it. His magic was flickering. His sapphire eyes were practically glowing.

She just sat beside him. No words would make him feel better. Manon thought he is storing this in his memory anyways. The fine line of killer he will refuse to be. Tell himself he is nothing like his father and never will be.

Finally, he said, "When I first entered Endovier to get Celaena…Aelin, I did not bat an eye at the slaves there. And now, I cannot bat an eye because they have been massacred."

He closed his eyes and continued, "I remember that day I first saw her. I was looking at her the wrong way. I asked to see the lashes on her back, and her body in general to see if she was beyond use for my own gain. I did not really care how it happened, that the slaves were being abused and mistreated. That some of them were just in there because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I did not care enough to speak out."

"If by your gain, you mean undermine your father by getting her out the slave mine. What you were doing was still right for the kingdom. That began with getting Aelin. It took you 20 years to challenge your father, to realize what he was doing was wrong; it took me about 120 years. And there have been worse things than this I did obediently and without question for my Grandmother. You cannot change the past, no point sulking in it."

"The past is helpful to learn from and shape your future," he said softly.

She did not reply. Just stared at the camp. Thinking of all the ways to have a better future—in the Witch Kingdom.

After what seemed like hours, she turned towards Dorian, and he was staring at her. Silently, she kissed his forehead. And then rose and said, "We should sleep. Long day tomorrow."

He looked shocked. His eyes were filled with emotion.

Manon simply started to walk away back to camp. That is when she noticed Asterin at the tree line smiling with her white teeth. She just grabbed a dagger and whirled it straight beside Asterin's head, and it slammed into the tree. Asterin's smile somehow got even bigger.

Darkness embrace her.

 **IMOGEN**

Ever since Imogen and the Thirteen found Manon at the beach, she has been… different. A good different. Maybe it was because of the boy that now tagging along, or maybe she finally understands that witches can be better.

The fact she did not slash Asterin across the face for yelling at Manon earlier today was surprising, but she had a feeling if she did the same thing, there would not have been that much lenience to her.

She pondered this new phenomenon as she walked alone in the darkness, offering to take first watch as the rest of the coven got some sleep. She did not mention she had other business to attend to. Honestly surprised she has never been caught yet. If her body was in her prime, one cannot really tell the difference.

She walked up the hill to where she could have a good eye on the Thirteen to still be an okay lookout. But, she does like to have the wind going through her as she does her rituals.

She looked around to make sure the coast was clear, and pulled out a dagger. She cut her palm for blue blood to run. Then she smeared it on her face. She prayed to the Three-Faced Goddess.

And then after a few more chants, sent out a call, hoping the receiving end was available. She should be, as this is around the agreed time and day of the week.

Finally, she heard Petra Blueblood's voice in her head, "Hello, sister."

Religious fanatics with their noses in the wind indeed. For Bluebloods do not need witch mirrors to communicate at all.

* * *

 **Lol this came into my head yesterday while running with my dog (unfortunately not named Fleetfoot). Hope you enjoyed. Feel free to give suggestions.**


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